Full Breakdown
Siddaramaiah Statue Installed and Removed in Kalaburagi Amid Karnataka Congress Tensions
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
- An overnight installation of a nine-foot golden-hued statue of former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah took place at High Court Circle in Kalaburagi.
- The Kalaburagi City Corporation removed the statue early the next morning, just before chief minister D K Shivakumar was scheduled to pass the junction en route to the Kalyana Karnataka Utsava celebrations.
Background & Context
- The same location was the focus of a prior attempt three years earlier to rename the junction “Siddaramaiah Circle” and to place an unauthorized statue, which was also removed.
- Shivakumar succeeded Siddaramaiah as chief minister earlier this year, and the state Congress has been marked by growing factionalism, notably between B K Hariprasad (state Congress president) and Shivakumar over cabinet appointments and party leadership.
- The Kalyana Karnataka Utsava commemorates the end of the Nizam of Hyderabad’s rule on September 17, 1948.
Data & Statistics
- Statue height: nine feet.
- Installation carried out by a group reported as seven to ten individuals, many identified as supporters from the Kuruba community, Siddaramaiah’s caste base.
- After removal, the statue was covered with a cloth and taken to a secure location.
Official Statements & Responses
- Avinash Shinde, Corporation Commissioner, said the statue was placed without permission and ordered its removal under his direction.
- A city official explained that officers acted after learning of the installation, covering the statue and deploying police to avoid confrontation.
- Shivakumar later asserted that the government had invited all legislators to a 100-day celebration and that seating arrangements were governed by protocol.
On-the-Ground Reports
- Passersby initially assumed the statue had official approval, gathering around the site before authorities intervened.
- Police and municipal staff removed the statue in the presence of onlookers, citing potential law-and-order concerns.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Sources differ on the exact number of installers: some cite “around ten people,” others mention “seven to eight people.”
- No individual or organized group has formally claimed responsibility; the identity of the installers remains unverified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Corporation officials reached the site after learning about the installation, covered the statue and brought in police personnel to prevent any confrontation. The structure was subsequently removed and taken to a secure location,” — an official
- “The statue had been put up despite previous requests by Siddaramaiah supporters for permission to install one at the site,” — Gurunath Pujari, district president of the Kuruba Sangha
- “The image of the statue being installed went viral last evening (Wednesday). We do not know who put it up. Some youth have installed it without bringing it to the attention of Congress leaders or Siddaramaiah fans in the region. So far, no one has claimed responsibility,” — Mahantesh Koulagi
- “Whoever wants power and posts can go with Shivakumar. Those who want to strengthen the Congress and the hand of (Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson) Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, come with me.” — Shivakumar. Hariprasad
What’s Next
- State Congress leaders, including B K Hariprasad and senior party officials, have convened meetings with the All India Congress Committee to address the factional disputes highlighted by the statue incident.